Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerDevils coach Brent Sutter said his players looked mentally tired in back-to-back losses in Boston and Philadelphia, so he decided to go two straight days without a practice.

Brent Sutter saw it in the eyes of his players. They were making mistakes they hadn't been making for weeks and the result was the team's first back-to-back losses since Jan. 6-8.

So Sutter decided two days without practicing would be more of a benefit than anything the team could accomplish on the ice.

Although players attended Tuesday's VIP/Gold Circle luncheon at the Prudential Center, they did not skate. And Wednesday was a day off for the team.

"We have three days between games here. We played five games in seven days and we have six games in nine nights coming up," Sutter told me Wednesday morning. "The guys had that function yesterday so it wasn't a day off for them.

"I really felt we looked mentally tired in the last couple of games. Having communications with Lou (Lamoriello) and Jamie (Langenbrunner), we thought it would be the right time to back off here for a couple of days. Let the guys recover mentally and spend time with their families, get recharged. We'll get back at it again on Thursday."

The Devils did clinch a playoff spot when the Florida Panthers lost to the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday night.

Sutter is determined to prevent the Devils from going into a late-season tailspin. Sometimes the mental strain of a season can be as damaging as the physical toll.

"It can be if it's not managed right. That's why it's so important to manage your days between games," Sutter explained. "You lose a game or you lose two games. This is the first time it's happened to us since when? I thought some of the mistakes we made were mental mistakes.

"And we're starting to get some guys that are a little banged up now. Not just myself, but the coaching staff and Lou feel it's important to let the guys recover a little bit."

The last month has been an emotional stretch for the Devils since goalie Martin Brodeur returned from his injury. There was the goalie's return on Feb. 26, followed by the trade deadline March 4 and the pursuit of several records by Brodeur and Patrik Elias.

"There have been things happening with our team mentally that hadn't happened before," Sutter said. "The emotional ride that these guys have been on for the last two weeks. We just felt a lot of things caught up to them.

"We felt it was a good time just to sit back a little bit and allow them to get refreshed mentally and bring that energy we had a week or 10 days ago. We rode a lot of that because of the emotion. You ride the momentum when you have it, but there's going to be a time when you hit a wall. I felt in the last little bit here we hit a wall."

The injuries? Colin White has missed four games after aggravating a lower body injury while Elias missed several shifts in Boston and sat out the game in Philadelphia with lower body soreness.

And defenseman Andy Greene was hit in the left ankle by a shot in Philly.

"We need to kick back here and allow the guys to recover mentally and allow them to recover physically," Sutter said. "Get healthy again. We want to have a healthy lineup."

Are the Devils just being cautious with injured players as they head towards the playoffs?

"Even if we were in the playoffs, I'm not sure a couple of them could've played," Sutter revealed. "They would've tried playing through it, but they wouldn't have been at the level we would've needed them at. That's why these days off are imperative. They're nagging things, but they're hindering their play. Especially guys that play big minutes."

Greene is still very sore and is questionable for the weekend. White and Elias are hoping to practice Thursday.

"That's why we managed this past weekend with Whitey. We felt if he stayed off the ice and we manage these three days appropriately, there's a chance that he may be able to play on the weekend. Same situation with Patrik. There is that chance he might be able (to play).

"Physically it's been a long season. There have been guys who have played through things," the coach said. "But you get to a point where we have to make sure guys are healthy.

"The easiest thing to do was to come to the rink Tuesday and practice. Then practice again (Wednesday and Thursday). Then all of a sudden we play six games in nine nights and, I'm telling you, it would affect us at some point. We needed to get refreshed and recharged. Let these guys kick back a little bit and get their focus back mentally and get as close to health as they can and then make the push."

That includes Brodeur, who has allowed eight goals in his last two games. He is coming off the most emotional stretch of all, followed by a lull.

"That's another reason why we're doing what we're doing," Sutter said. "He's one of those individuals who needs a break. Marty is no different. Marty is a human being, too. We all know what he's accomplished and what he brings. And yet, he needs a little bit of time here, too.

"That whole scenario was such at tremendous thing that happened. But it gets to a point where you need a little bit of a break."

After riding his emotions to a 9-1 start after coming back, has the effect on Brodeur been evident in the last two games?

"The best way to look at it and the best thing to say is maybe, perhaps it showed. Was it expected? You never know," Sutter said. "Marty has had a helluva run since coming back. He's had a great run. And at some time you might hit a wall. That's human nature.

"Now he can get recharged. As much as an individual may want to deny it and not want to think about it, it's still there. When you're around him, you sense things. Jacques (Caron) even said, 'This break is going to be very good for Marty.' And I know what he's talking about."